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  • Dolphins return to the Ganga

    dolphin

    Dolphins have started coming back to the Ganga with improvement in the quality of the river water made possible by the Namami Gange Programme.

    About Gangetic Dolphin

    • The Gangetic river system is home to a vast variety of aquatic life, including the Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica).
    • It is one of five species of river dolphin found around the world.
    • It is found mainly in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems.
    • An adult dolphin could weigh between 70 kg and 90 kg. The breeding season of the Gangetic dolphin extends from January to June.
    • They feed on several species of fishes, invertebrates etc.

    Threats to Gangetic dolphins

    • The construction of dams and barrages and increasing pollution has led to a decline in the population of aquatic animals in the rivers in general and of dolphins in particular.
    • Aquatic life is an indicator of the health of river ecosystems.
    • As the Gangetic dolphin is at the top of the food chain, protecting the species and its habitat will ensure

    How are they conserved?

    • Although efforts to save them were started in the mid-1980s, the estimates suggest the numbers have not risen as a result.
    • The Gangetic dolphin remains listed as Endangered by the IUCN.
    • After the launch of Ganga Action Plan in 1985, the government on November 24, 1986, included Gangetic dolphins in the First Schedule of the Indian Wildlife (Protection), Act 1972.
    • This was aimed at checking hunting and providing conservation facilities such as wildlife sanctuaries.
    • For instance, Vikramshila Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary was established in Bihar under this Act.
    • It has been recognized as National Aquatic Animal of India.

    Policy moves for conservation

    • The government had prepared The Conservation Action Plan for the Ganges River Dolphin 2010-2020.
    • The National Mission for Clean Ganga celebrates October 5 as National Ganga River Dolphin Day.
    • There is also Project Dolphin on the lines of Project Tiger, which has helped increase the tiger population.

     

    Try this PYQ:

    Which one of the following is the national aquatic animal of India?

    (a) Saltwater crocodile

    (b) Olive ridley turtle

    (c) Gangetic dolphin

    (d) Gharial

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”9od7g7vh4h” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • GI in news: Kalanamak Rice

    kalanamak

    Kalanamak, a traditional variety of paddy is all set to get a new look and name.

    Kalanamak Rice

    • Kalanamak rice is a paddy with black husk and strong fragrance, which is considered a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Sravasti when he visited the region after enlightenment,
    • It is grown in 11 districts of the Terai region of northeastern Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal.
    • The traditional Kalanamak rice is protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
    • It’s recorded in the GI application that Lord Budhha gifted Kalanamak paddy to the people of Sravasti so that they remembered him by its fragrance.

    What is the upgrade?

    • The traditional paddy has been prone to ‘lodging’, a reason for its low yield.
    • Lodging is a condition in which the top of the plant becomes heavy because of grain formation, the stem becomes weak, and the plant falls on the ground.
    • Addressing the problem, the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has successfully developed two dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice.
    • They have been named Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652.

    Back2Basics:  Geographical Indication

    • A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
    • Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
    • India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
    • GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
    • GI is granted for a term of 10 years in India. As of today, more than 300 GI tags has been allocated so far in India (*Wikipedia).
    • The tag stands valid for 10 years.

     

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  • Road to Net Zero Goes Via Green Financing

    financing

    Context

    • Climate finance, or Green Money, remains a critical bottleneck for India in its journey towards the Net Zero 2070 objective and to create a resilient system through climate adaptation and mitigation. The challenge is daunting to make a climate transition for a nation of 1.4 billion people with increasing aggregate national income and individual wealth inequality.

    What is the Present arrangement of external financing for climate change

    • Estimated cost: Finances for climate change were to be channelized through multi-tiered systems in the form of national, regional, and international bodies. It has been estimated that India will need $15 trillion to finance its Net Zero journey.
    • Concessional loans: In most cases, small amounts flowing now into the developing component of the G20 nations are actually in the form of concessional loans rather than grants.
    • Technological support from developed countries: There is no doubt that India will need international financial commitments and technological support from developed countries, who have been erratic with their promised deliveries so far.

    What is green financing?

    • Green finance is a phenomenon that combines the world of finance and business with environment friendly behavior. It may be led by financial incentives, a desire to preserve the planet, or a combination of both.
    • In addition to demonstrating proactive, environment friendly behavior, such as promoting of any business or activity that could be damaging to the environment now or for future generations.

    Green financing through domestic market

    • Status of Green Bonds: As for domestic financial sources, according to an RBI Bulletin from January 2021, green finance in India is still at the nascent stage. Green bonds constituted only 0.7% of all the bonds issued in India since 2018, and bank lending to the non-conventional energy constituted about 7.9% of outstanding bank credit to the power sector as of March 2020.
    • Provision of Green loans: The report also mentioned that the development of green financing and funding of environment-friendly sustainable development is not without challenges, which may include false compliance claims, misuse of green loans, and, most importantly, maturity mismatches between long-term green investments and relatively short-term interests of investors.

    financing

    What are the challenges to green financing?

    • No assessment of climate finance risk: Research report indicates that banks in India, like in many parts of the world, are not prepared to adapt to climate change; and have not yet factored in any climate-related financial risks into their day-to-day decision-making. Some of the criteria used to assess the banks include a commitment to phase out investments in coal, disclosing and verifying direct and indirect emissions, issuing green loans, financing climate mitigation, and Net Zero targets for different types of emissions and their implementation plans.
    • Lack of enthusiasm among bankers: The report is also critical that none of the 34 banks have tested the resilience of their portfolios in the face of climate change. Yet, the bankers’ noise around the green finance topic is euphorically loud, without action.
    • No standard definition of green financing: These banks and financial institutions are also not geared up for financing green transition. India faces the big challenge of “how to define green”, as there is no uniform green definition and green taxonomy.
    • Poor debt market for green finance: The green money is generated through largely debt-based products (green bonds, climate policy performance bonds, debt for climate swaps, etc.), while the fund deployment occurs through debt-based, equity-based, and often, insurance-based instruments, apart from grants and loans. However, the Indian market lacks the depth of its debt markets or the heft of the bond markets.
    • Lack of green data governance: There is an inherent problem with “green data governance” that entails tracking the entire data-chain of a green financing initiative.
    • Unviable green projects: Like many other private sectors funding, the banks look at rates of return that do not really often make financing “public goods” as viable investments. They are even apprehensive about financing projects with long gestation periods with uncertain returns.

    financing

    What is way forward for green financing?

    • Considering social cost of carbon: An economic return alone might not be sufficient to induce green financing. A more holistic rate of return, considering the social cost of carbon, will be appropriate.
    • Return on green investment should include social returns: A longer time horizon will be needed for the cost-benefit analysis and the estimation of the return on investment. This is because, for climate-related projects, the returns increase over time. The extent to which the particular project could result in CO2 reduction and, eventually reduction in the social cost of carbon need to be assessed. As an example, India intends to reduce 1 billion Tonnes of CO2. The present social cost of CO2 (SCC) is $86/tonne. Therefore, the sheer economic gain is to the tune of $86 billion, or 2.1% of the current Indian GDP. Social cost saving is a public good and is enjoyed by all businesses, including the financial institutions.
    • Applying the green taxation: Hence, for a stronger business case for climate finance, experts propose to include in its Return-on-investment calculations the cost-benefit returns of the project through NPVSCC20 the Net Present Value of Social Cost of Carbon over 25 years of the project, a time period that compares well with tenor of infra and sovereign bonds. As an incentive, the government could introduce taxation sops for using NPVSCC25.

    financing

    You may want to know about Net Zero

    • Net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with remaining emissions re-absorbed by oceans/ forests.
    • China, US, EU and India contribute 75% of total GHG emissions
    • However, per capita GHG emissions for US, EU and China are7,3 and 3 times of India
    • India has set target to achieve net zero emissions by 2070.

    Conclusion

    • The way India finances its journey to Net Zero 2070 could very well be a framework for other nations, for it would need to have contours of social inclusion, economic flexibility, and sustainable financing, while keeping in mind the political compulsions, as well as serving the demographic requirements of creating and sustaining livelihood in decades to come.

    Mains Question

    Q. Green financing is the most crucial part of achieving Net zero target. Comment. What are the India’s efforts to finance its climate action goals?

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  • Revitalizing India’s Spectrum Policy

    Spectrum

    Context

    • It is widely acknowledged that spectrum policy in India has had ups and downs, regretfully more downs than ups. Despite the recognized failure, India hosts 800 million internet users and host the second-largest telecommunications network in the world. We wonder what might have been achieved with a more reasonable and transparent spectrum policy.

    Background

    • On September 22, the government released the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 seeking to replace the colonial era Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
    • The draft bill compares spectrum to aatma: “In a way, spectrum is similar to aatma, like aatma, spectrum too does not have any physical form, yet it is omnipresent.” And yet there is one immutable difference in this material world. While the value of aatma is inestimable, spectrum has always had a banal price tag associated with it.

    Spectrum

    What is Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022?

    • The draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 is an attempt by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to consolidate various legislations presently governing the telecommunication landscape in India.
    • The Bill seeks to replace three laws, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950.
    • The new regulatory framework is to bring the law at par with technological advancements and remove obsolete provisions from the colonial era laws.

    What is mean by Spectrum?

    • In physics, it’s a word that describes the distribution of something, like energy or atomic particles
    • Spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that wireless signals travel over. Devices such as cell phones and wireline telephones require signals to connect from one end to another.
    • These signals are carried on airwaves, which must be sent at designated frequencies to avoid any kind of interference. The frequencies we use for wireless are only a portion of what is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
    • The Union government owns all the publicly available assets within the geographical boundaries of the country, which also include airwaves.
    • With the expansion in the number of cell phones, wireline telephone and internet users, the need to provide more space for the signals arise from time to time.

    The status of Spectrum policy in India?

    • Host the second largest telecommunications network despite of failures:
    • It is widely acknowledged that spectrum policy in India has had ups and downs, it has for the most part failed to capitalize on the ubiquity of the electromagnetic spectrum to provide meaningful connectivity to all citizens.
    • Despite the recognized failure, we boast of a billion plus mobile subscribers, 800 million internet users and host the second-largest telecommunications network in the world.
    • Ineffective access widening space of digital divide:
    • The intent of the draft bill is to correct past sins so that the benefits of spectrum and technology are better shared, and the quality of access improved for everybody.
    • In other words, since effective access to spectrum has remained a significant barrier to facilitating meaningful connectivity for Indians.
    • Spectrum’s potential is huge but with technical limitations:
    • The draft bill rightly refers to the spectrum as having the characteristics of a public good. It is also an inexhaustible resource. But while spectrum per se is not depletable, there are technical limitations to its optimum utilization at a given point in time.
    • Consequently, it is viewed as a scarce natural resource and what’s more, expensive auctions have made the spectrum dear and arguably exclusionary.
    • High cost of spectrum acquisition:
    • Since 2010, the government has consistently used auctions for spectrum allocation and in only one of the seven auctions held since then, the government was successful in selling 100 per cent of the available spectrum. One reason for this lukewarm response, barring the 2010 auction, is the high cost of spectrum acquisition.
    • High cost of auctions leading to revenue loss for the government:
    • Due to the high reserve price, the most recent auction witnessed spectrum being sold at the reserve price, effectively rendering the basis of an auction moot.
    • If almost all spectrum was sold at its reserve price, and a significant amount goes unsold, it implies that the price was too high, to begin with. It also implies a loss of revenue for the government for spectrum unsold is spectrum squandered.
    • Finally, it results in areas being underserved or unserved affecting quality and quantity.
    • High network charges by operators impacts compromising equal distribution and quality:
    • According to one estimate, at 7.6 per cent of their aggregate revenue, spectrum cost in India is amongst the most expensive in the world.
    • Since network operators incur a significantly higher cost for spectrum compared to other emerging markets, the ability to invest in network upgradation and infrastructure is severely impacted, resulting in uneven distribution of service and poor quality to boot.

    Spectrum

    What Could be the fresh approach?

    • Acknowledging and addressing the issues:
    • It must be recognized that the spectrum needs to be combined with other infrastructure to enable service delivery.
    • The cost of deploying other infrastructure in remote areas is nearly twice as much, while revenue opportunities are far lower, damaging if not destroying the prospects of rural businesses. Plugging the digital divide, therefore, needs a fresh approach.
    • Correcting the cost of spectrum and boosting investment:
    • Since licences and spectrum are typically assigned for service areas that are, for the most part, identified by state boundaries.
    • Since operators predominantly cater to urban markets, the spectrum in remote areas remains under- or in places un-utilized due to a lack of investment in allied infrastructure.
    • Reviving the old and executing the fresh provisions enshrined in draft bill for equitable sharing:
    • The draft bill incorporates practical provisions on the spectrum such as use it, share it, or lose it – an awaited policy that, however, needs innovative support to be successful. The idea of “niche operators” providing services including to telecom operators and manufacturers, introduced in 2005, needs revival in this regard.
    • If licensed operators are unable to utilise the assigned spectrum, the same could be given to local entrepreneurs who understand the needs of rural customers and are better placed to develop a more effective business case more quickly than the larger telcos. Active promotion of the idea of niche operators might just jolt operators out of their lethargy towards rural services.
    • Adopting innovative methods:
    • Alternatively, the government may explore innovative methods of spectrum access such as a non-competitive licensing framework for certain specific use cases.
    • Canada, for instance, has initiated consultations on a non-competitive local licensing framework in the 3900-3980 MHz Band and portions of the 26, 28 and 38 GHz bands to inter alia facilitate broadband connectivity in rural areas.
    • Emphasizing on Transparency and enhancing healthy competition:
    • The government should build an ecosystem that inspires trust so that transparency in assignment can be secured at a reasonable price for operators with strict service obligations without the phantasm of auctions.
    • At the same time, there should be no unsold spectrum. Niche operators should be invoked to engender competition, and government could yet collect revenue for itself.

    Spectrum

    Conclusion

    • The telecom is no longer an end in itself. It exists for user industries much more than ever before. The spill over benefits are far greater than what the sector commands within. Thus, to state the obvious, the vision that is “Digital India” can never be realized if affordable broadband connectivity remains only within the reach of a few.

  • UAPA gave an impetus to fight against terror: PM

    The Prime Minister has said that Central laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) had given an impetus to the system in a decisive fight against terrorism.

    What is Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act (UAPA)?

    • The UAPA is aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India.
    • Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India
    • It is an upgrade on the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act TADA, which was allowed to lapse in 1995 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was repealed in 2004.
    • It was originally passed in 1967 under the then Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
    • Till 2004, “unlawful” activities referred to actions related to secession and cession of territory. Following the 2004 amendment, “terrorist act” was added to the list of offences.

    What are Unlawful Activities and Associations?

    • The UAPA lays down the definitions and rules for designating an organisation as an “unlawful association” if it is engaged in certain types of activities.
    • Under Section 3 of the UAPA Act, the government has powers to declare an association “unlawful”.
    • The government can then issue a notification designating such an organisation as a terrorist organisation, if it believes that the organisation is part of “terrorist activities.”

    (1) Unlawful Activites

    • Under section 2(o) of the UAPA, an unlawful activity in relation to an individual or association means – Any action taken by such an individual or association (whether by committing an act or by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representation or otherwise), –
    1. Works for the Cession of a part of the territory of India or the secession of a part of the territory of India from the Union
    2. Disclaims, questions, disrupts or is intended to Disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India; or
    3. which causes or is intended to cause Disaffection against India;
    • Related and ancillary acts, including financing, support or promotion of any such activities are also “unlawful activity”.

    (2) Unlawful Association

    The UAPA also defines an “Unlawful Association” under section 2(p) as meaning any association,–

    1. which has for its object any unlawful activity, or which encourages or aids persons to undertake any unlawful activity, or of which the members undertake such activity or
    2. which encourages or aids persons to undertake any such activity, or of which the members undertake any such activity

    Reported abuse of UAPA

    • The PUCL report studied data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) from 2015 to 2020.
    • It has found per-case conviction rate under the UAPA was 27.57% compared with 49.67% in Indian Penal Code (IPC) cases.
    • The per-arrestee conviction rate was just 2.8% against 22.19% in IPC cases.
    • This is far less to figure of the success of having UAPA.

    Cases registered under UAPA

    • During the check period, 5,924 cases were registered and 8,371 persons arrested.
    • The National Investigation Agency, on its website, had listed 456 cases of which 78% involved UAPA charges.

    Other issues with UAPA

    • Burden of proof: With such high barriers of proof, it is now impossible for an accused to obtain bail, and is in fact a convenient tool to put a person behind bars indefinitely.
    • No interim bail: As a consequence of UAPA being applied, the accused cannot even get bail.
    • Traitor branding: This is being abused by the government, police and prosecution liberally: now, all dissenters are routinely implicated under charges of sedition or criminal conspiracy and under the UAPA.
    • Fake and framed cases: In multiple instances, evidence is untenable, sometimes even arguably planted, and generally weak overall.

    Way forward

    • Even within the constraints of the UAPA, much can be achieved if a responsive and independent judiciary follows the basic principles of natural justice and due process.
    • The governments need to consider the issue of pendency of cases under UAPA and take steps to address the issues by either repealing certain provisions or ensuring speedy trials.

    Conclusion

    • Terrorism is no petty crime.
    • It is sometimes necessary to infringe on due process of a few citizens in order to protect the larger humanity.

     

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  • What is Air Quality Index (AQI)?

     

    air

     

     

    Air Quality Index (AQI)

    • AQI measures how safe the air around you is for breathing. Organizations that report AQI measure the density of various pollutants in the air (such as PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, etc) at different monitoring stations.
    • The widely-used National Air Quality Index (NAQI) given by the Central Pollution Control Board is a 24-hour average.
    • Its unit is micrograms per cubic meter.
    • A particular amount of one pollutant may not be as harmful as the same amount of another pollutant.
    • So, each pollutant’s quantity in the air is adjusted to a common scale (say, 0 to 500) that works for all pollutants.
    • Finally, the pollutant with the worst sub-index determines the AQI for that time and location.

    What are NAAQ standards?

    • The mandate provided to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act empowers it to set standards for the quality of air.
    • Hence the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards were notified in November 2009 by the CPCB.
    • Prior to this, India had set Air Quality standards in 1994, and this was later revised in 1998.
    • The 2009 standards further lowered the maximum permissible limits for pollutants and made the standards uniform across the nation.
    • Earlier, less stringent standards were prescribed for industrial zones as compared to residential areas.

    Pollutants covered:

    • Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
    • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2),
    • Particulate Matter (size less than 10 ”m) or PM 10
    • Particulate Matter (size less than 2.5 ”m) or PM2.5
    • Ozone (O3)
    • Carbon Monoxide (CO)
    • Ammonia (NH3)

    (Air Pollutants that most of us NEVER heard of)

    • Lead
    • Benzene (C6H6)
    • Benzo(a)Pyrene (BaP)
    • Arsenic(As)
    • Nickel (Ni)

    What are Initiatives taken by India for Controlling Air Pollution?

    • System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) Portal
    • Air Quality Index: AQI has been developed for eight pollutants viz. PM2.5, PM10, Ammonia, Lead, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide.
    • Graded Response Action Plan
    • For Reducing Vehicular Pollution: BS-VI Vehicles, Push for Electric Vehicles (EVs),Odd-Even Policy as an emergency measure
    • New Commission for Air Quality Management
    • Subsidy to farmers for buying Turbo Happy Seeder (THS) Machine

     

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  • Climate Crisis, India’s Solution – Mission LiFE

    Mission LiFE

    Context

    • Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 20 unveiled the action plan for Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), an India-led global mass movement that will nudge individuals and communities for action to protect and preserve the environment.

    What is LiFE?

    • Importance of individual efforts: Mission LiFE makes environmental protection and conservation a participative process and recognizes the importance of each effort no matter how small or big to save the environment both at the level of the individual and at the level of the community.
    • Chaning utilization attitude: The idea promotes an environmentally conscious lifestyle that focuses on ‘mindful and deliberate utilization’ instead of ‘mindless and wasteful consumption’.
    • Creating social networks: The LIFE Movement aims to utilize the power of collective action and nudge individuals across the world to undertake simple climate-friendly actions in their daily lives. The LIFE movement, additionally, also seeks to leverage the strength of social networks to influence social norms surrounding climate.
    • Creating Pro-planet people: The Mission plans to create and nurture a global network of individuals, namely ‘Pro-Planet People’ (P3), who will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
    • Seeks to behavioral change and individual actions: Through the P3 community, the Mission seeks to create an ecosystem that will reinforce and enable environmentally friendly behaviors to be self-sustainable. LIFE recognizes that small individual actions can tip the balance in the planet’s favour.

    Do you know pro-planet initiatives worldwide?

    • Denmark:  Denmark promotes the use of bicycles by limiting parking within the city Centre and providing exclusive bike lanes.
    • Japan: Japan has its unique “walk-to-school” mandate, which has been in practice since the early 1950s.

    Mission LiFE

    Why is the need for such movement?

    • Wrong perception about conservation: Environment protection, has for far too long been perceived as a policy issue by the general masses. There has been a perception that only national governments and international organizations can do something to protect the Earth and environment.

    How mission LiFE will be helpful?

    • Mindless consumption of resources: The human race is plundering Planet Earth at a pace that far outstrips its capacity and ability to support life. A recent study says that if the current rate of consumption were to continue, by 2050, humans would need two more planets, in addition to the Earth, to continue to exist.
    • Declining natural resources and beauty: This means that we could be staring at major climatic crises in the years to come and our future generations may never get to experience the beauty of nature, the glaciers, the oceans, the snow and the rivers, that we have been fortunate to see and experience.
    • Unsustainable consumption pattern: What threatens our existence more than anything else is the pace at which we are producing and consuming. The consumption pattern of the world is mindless and pays scant regard to the environment.
    • Attitude change through mission LiFE: Mission LiFE tries to remind the world that the mindset of “use and throw” must immediately be replaced by “reduce, reuse and recycle” so that our scarce resources are not overexploited, and the world doesn’t crumble under the weight of all the waste that it is generating by the second.
    • Small efforts big Impact: Mission LiFE is a philosophy which shows how this can be made possible. It shows the power of small efforts to make big impacts. It believes in the individual’s capacity to change the world. It is the mantra to reverse historical and cultural wrongs wrecked upon the environment. Mission LiFE is the call to action for citizens and governments to save the planet.

    Mission LiFE

    What are India’s efforts for LiFE?

    • Environment friendly culture: In India, the cultural ethos of limiting needs and treating the environment and its resources with reverence has produced very visible results. India constitutes 17 per cent of the world’s population, but our contribution to global carbon emissions is only four per cent.
    • Less carbon footprint per head: Against the developed world’s carbon footprint of four tonnes per head, the carbon footprint of an average Indian counts to only 1.5 tonnes.
    • Multiple global initiatives: Despite not being part of the problem, with numerous global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the One Sun One World One Grid initiative, and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, India has taken the lead in presenting and building solutions for the world by bringing the global community together.
    • Focus on collective actions of world community: The need to build these global alliances to fight climate change stems from the understanding that only collective action can save the world from the vagaries of climate change that are increasingly becoming a reality and are rising in ferocity.
    • Mindful utilization of resources: India offering knowledge from its religious and cultural ethos to the world, Mission LiFE aims to pull the world away from a “mindless and destructive” consumerist approach towards a “mindful and deliberate utilization” of resources. It is also, at the same time, an effort to prevent India from heading that way.
    • Shift towards sustainable policies: India is already working towards building a circular economy and moving towards a stage where all our energy requirements are met through the use of renewables. Our policies are all aligned towards ensuring sustainable development, where nature is not disregarded for development but where the most marginalized are not left to their destiny by denying them development.

    Mission LiFE

    Conclusion

    • Actions against climate change is not just a fervent hope but an emergent necessity. Through mission LiFE India is trying to portray climate crisis from individual perspective. Mission LiFE has a potential to transform climate change movement into the mass movement.

    Mains Question

    How Mission LiFE will help in conservation of Environment? Critically analyze the India’s efforts to make LiFE a successful mission?

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  • Back in news: Gilgit-Baltistan

    gilgit

    Defence Minister has said that the mission of full integration of Jammu & Kashmir that started on August 5, 2019 will be complete when Gilgit-Baltistan and areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) will reunite with India.

    Gilgit-Baltistan: How Pakistan occupied it?

    • During the first Indo-Pak war of October 1947, Pakistan occupied 78,114 sq. km of the land of Jammu and Kashmir, including the ‘Northern Areas’.
    • The Northern Areas is the other name of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) that Pakistan has used for administrative reasons because it was a disputed territory.
    • In 2020, it became the fifth State of Pakistan after Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    GB through history

    • The political nature of Gilgit-Baltistan has been directionless from the beginning.
    • Pakistan initially governed the region directly from the central authority after it was separated from ‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir’ on April 28, 1949.
    • On March 2, 1963, Pakistan gave away 5,180 sq km of the region to China, despite local protests.
    • Under PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the name of the region was changed to the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA).
    • Pakistan passed the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order in 2009, which granted “self-rule” to the ‘Northern Areas’.

    Its geographical features

    • It is home to K-2, the second-tallest mountain in the world.
    • Tourism remains restricted by many factors, including military hostility, though the region has some of ancient Buddhist sculptures and rock edicts.
    • It is also home to an old Shia community, which often finds itself subjected to persecution in Pakistan’s urban centers.
    • At present, a Governor and an elected Chief Minister rule the region, which is divided into Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Astore, Ghanche, Ghizer and Hunza-Nagar.

    Geographic significance of the region

    • Geographic tri-junction of Himalaya, Hindu Kush and Pamir, GB possesses the most startling views of natural beauty.
    • Apart from several high-altitude lakes, the region is also home to three of world’s longest glaciers outside of the polar region, including the world’s highest war field, the Siachen glacier.

    Strategic importance of GB

    • GB is home to some of the world’s most important and contentious strategic points capable of creating unremitting wars.
    • The region holds extreme volatility and if gets subjected to desuetude can cause a ruckus in the entire regions of South Asia, Central Asia and China, ultimately affecting the entire world.
    • The mountain province consists of 3 core divisions: Gilgit, Baltistan and Diamer.
    • This region is further divided into 10 districts along with its Shaksgam valley – which was gifted to China by occupier Pakistan in 1963 border agreement – of 5,180 square km.

    Economic Potential

    • Home to valuable earthy resources, GB is rich in mineral deposits.
    • These include metallic, non-metallic, energy minerals, precious stones and different rocks of industrial use.
    • The southern areas of this region have substantial deposits of nickel, lead, copper and zircon.
    • In its northern regions, it contains deposits of iron, silver, gold, garnet and topaz.
    • Almost all of its mining potential is untapped and capable of generating ample wealth.

    Chinese vested interest

    • Gilgit-Baltistan is important for China as it is the gateway for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
    • Significantly, the ongoing stand-off with China at the LAC in Eastern Ladakh has a Gilgit-Baltistan connection.
    • The Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road of India is viewed as a tactical roadway to access the Karakoram Pass, which provides China crucial access to Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan.

    Why should India reclaim GB?

    • Gilgit Baltistan is an integral part of Indian Territory illegally occupied by Pakistan.
    • It is the key to the destruction of Chinese influence in South Asia; the string of China-Pakistan’s pearl necklace and also the Brahmastra for India against China.
    • India controlling GB can turn out to be the worst nightmare for China and eventually for Pakistan

    Can India take back the BG/POK?

    • India can certainly get back POK, Gilgit-Baltistan as all of that territory belongs to India.
    • However, military use could trigger a nuclear response from Pakistan as the trigger is in the hands of terrorists and the army.
    • Diplomatic channels are another option but it will take too much time.
    • Pakistan now is appearing to destabilize all way worse than Sri Lanka did. It might collapse some day in near future.

     

    Try this PYQ:

    If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing there?

    1. Oak
    2. Rhododendron
    3. Sandalwood

    Select the correct option using the code given below:

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 3 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”0c573rp1c2″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • Two Lakshadweep beaches get Blue Flag Certification

    blue

    The globally recognised and coveted international eco-label ‘Blue Flag’ has been accorded to two new Indian beaches — Minicoy Thundi Beach and Kadmat Beach, both in Lakshadweep.

    What is Blue Flag?

    • The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label or certification that is given to coastal locations around the world as a badge of environmental honour.
    • The programme is run by the Copenhagen, Denmark-headquartered Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a non-profit organization.
    • It seeks to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
    • It started in France in 1985 and has been implemented in Europe since 1987, and in areas outside Europe since 2001 when South Africa joined.
    • Certification is awarded annually. A total 5,042 beaches, marinas, and tourism boats in 48 countries have been awarded the label so far.

    Criteria for certification

    It has 33 stringent criteria under four major heads for the beaches, that is-

    1. Environmental Education and Information
    2. Bathing Water Quality
    3. Environment Management and Conservation and
    4. Safety and Services

    Total blue beaches in India

    India now has 12 blue beaches. The other 10 Indian beaches on the list, according to the FEE site, are-

    1. Shivrajpur in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district
    2. Ghogla beach in Diu
    3. Kasarkod (Uttara Kannada) and
    4. Padubidri (Udupi) in Karnataka;
    5. Kappad (Kozhikode) in Kerala
    6. Eden beach in Puducherry
    7. Kovalam (Chennai) in Tamil Nadu
    8. Rushikonda (Visakhapatnam) in Andhra Pradesh
    9. Golden beach in Puri, Odisha; and
    10. Radhanagar Swarajdeep in Andaman and Nicobar

    About the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)

    • The FEE is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.
    • It was founded in 1981 as the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE).
    • Currently, it has 77 member countries.

    Its other programmes include:

    • Green Key
    • Eco Schools
    • Young Reporters for the Environment
    • Learning about Forests
    • Global Forest Fund

     

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  • India’s first indigenous Overhauser Magnetometer

    magnet

    Indian scientists have developed an indigenous Overhauser Magnetometer, one of the most accurate magnetometers extensively used by all magnetic observatories around the world.

    What are Overhauser Magnetometers?

    • A magnetometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the strength and direction of the magnetic field.
    • OVH magnetometers are known for their higher accuracy, higher sensitivity, and efficient power consumption.
    • They find applications in all magnetic observatories worldwide as well as in international space programs.
    • It has so far been imported for such purposes in India.

    Feats achieved

    • The performance of this indigenously made magnetometer is at par with a commercial OVH sensor that is currently installed at the magnetic observatories of IIG.
    • The Indian OVH sensor reproduced the geomagnetic diurnal variations accurately and precisely.
    • It showed the signatures of various space weather events such as geomagnetic storms, sudden impulses, etc.
    • It would also be of potential help to develop a sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instrument.

    Benefits of OVH magnetometers

    • OVH magnetometers reduce the cost of sampling and sensing experiments essential for geomagnetic sampling.
    • It can reduce India’s dependence on commercial OVH magnetometers for performing geomagnetic field measurements.

     

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